# Third Chand cabinet

The third Chanda cabinet was formed on 12 March 1997, after the biggest party in the House of Representatives, CPN (UML) supported Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Lokendra Bahadur Chand as the prime minister. The cabinet was expanded on 25 March 1997, 30 June 1997 and 29 August 1997.
After losing a no-confidence motion on 4 October 1997, the cabinet was dissolved two days later when Surya Bahadur Thapa was appointed prime minister.

## Cabinet
### March–June 1997

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Prime Minister of Nepal Minister for Palace Affairs Minister for Defence | Lokendra Bahadur Chand | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Home Affairs | Bam Dev Gautam | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Finance | Rabindra Nath Sharma | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Environment | Sahana Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 25 March 1997 |
| Minister for Women and Social Welfare | Sahana Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Information and Communications | Jhala Nath Khanal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Local Development | Amrit Kumar Bohara | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Construction and Transportation | Bharat Mohan Adhikari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Health | Radha Krishna Mainali | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Prakash Chandra Lohani | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 8 June 1997 |
| Minister for General Administration | Siddhi Lal Singh | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Kamal Thapa | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Supplies | Gajendra Narayan Singh | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Science and Technology | Gajendra Narayan Singh | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 25 March 1997 |
| Minister for Commerce | Budhhiman Tamang | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Labour | Mukunda Neupane | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Affairs | Ashok Kumar Rai | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Industry | Keshav Prasad Badal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation | Salim Miya Ansari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Bhim Bahadur Kathayat | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice | Prem Bahadur Singh | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Education | Devi Prasad Ojha | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Agriculture | Ram Krishna Acharya | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Population and Environment | Bidya Devi Bhandari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice Minister for Women and Social Welfare | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 25 March 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Land Conservation | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Sarbendra Nath Shukla | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Ministers of State |||||
| Minister of State for Information and Communications | Rakam Chemjong | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Health | Bharat Kumar Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Agriculture | Prem Bahadur Bhandari | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Water Supply | Rajiv Parajuli | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Industry | Tul Bahadur Gurung | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Education | Bhojraj Joshi | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Local Development | Mahesh Chaudhary | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Construction and Transportation | Mahindra Ray Yadav | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Khobari Raya Yadav | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |

### June–August 1997

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Prime Minister of Nepal Minister for Palace Affairs Minister for Defence | Lokendra Bahadur Chand | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Home Affairs | Bam Dev Gautam | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Finance | Rabindra Nath Sharma | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Women and Social Welfare | Sahana Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Information and Communications | Jhala Nath Khanal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Local Development | Amrit Kumar Bohara | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Construction and Transportation | Bharat Mohan Adhikari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Health | Radha Krishna Mainali | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for General Administration | Siddhi Lal Singh | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Kamal Thapa | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Kamal Thapa | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Supplies | Gajendra Narayan Singh | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Commerce | Budhhiman Tamang | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister for Land Reform and Management | Budhhiman Tamang | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Labour | Mukunda Neupane | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Affairs | Ashok Kumar Rai | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Industry | Keshav Prasad Badal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation | Salim Miya Ansari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Bhim Bahadur Kathayat | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice | Prem Bahadur Singh | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 27 June 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice | Prem Bahadur Singh | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Education | Devi Prasad Ojha | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Agriculture | Ram Krishna Acharya | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Population and Environment | Bidya Devi Bhandari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice Minister for Women and Social Welfare | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 25 March 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Land Conservation | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 25 March 1997 | 27 June 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Land Conservation | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Sarbendra Nath Shukla | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Ministers of State |||||
| Minister of State for Information and Communications | Rakam Chemjong | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Health | Bharat Kumar Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 27 June 1997 |
| Minister of State for Health | Bharat Kumar Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Agriculture | Prem Bahadur Bhandari | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Water Supply | Rajiv Parajuli | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Industry | Tul Bahadur Gurung | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Education | Bhojraj Joshi | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Local Development | Mahesh Chaudhary | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 27 June 1997 |
| Minister of State for Local Development | Mahesh Chaudhary | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Construction and Transportation | Mahindra Ray Yadav | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Khobari Raya Yadav | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Land Reform and Management | Mahendra Raya | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Commerce | Jyotendra Mohan Chaudhary | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 29 August 1997 |
| Minister of State for Science and Technology | Mirza Dilshad Beg | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 29 August 1997 |

### August–October 1997

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Took office | Left office |
| Prime Minister of Nepal Minister for Palace Affairs Minister for Defence | Lokendra Bahadur Chand | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Home Affairs | Bam Dev Gautam | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Finance | Rabindra Nath Sharma | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Women and Social Welfare | Sahana Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Information and Communications | Jhala Nath Khanal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Local Development | Amrit Kumar Bohara | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Construction and Transportation | Bharat Mohan Adhikari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice | Bharat Mohan Adhikari | CPN (UML) | 22 September 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Health | Radha Krishna Mainali | CPN (UML) | 12 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for General Administration | Siddhi Lal Singh | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Balaram Gharti Magar | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Kamal Thapa | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Supplies | Gajendra Narayan Singh | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 12 March 1997 | 22 September 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Gajendra Narayan Singh | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 22 September 1997 | 26 September 1997 |
| Minister for Land Reform and Management | Budhhiman Tamang | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 8 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Labour | Mukunda Neupane | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Affairs | Ashok Kumar Rai | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Industry | Keshav Prasad Badal | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation | Salim Miya Ansari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Bhim Bahadur Kathayat | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Law and Justice | Prem Bahadur Singh | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 22 September 1997 |
| Minister for Education | Devi Prasad Ojha | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Agriculture | Ram Krishna Acharya | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Population and Environment | Bidya Devi Bhandari | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Land Conservation | Rameshwar Raya Yadav | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 30 June 1997 | 11 September 1997 |
| Minister for Forests and Land Conservation | Hridayesh Tripathi | Nepal Sadbhawana Party | 11 September 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Commerce | Sarbendra Nath Shukla | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Science and Technology | Prem Bahadur Bhandari | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister without portfolio | Rajiv Parajuli | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister for Supplies | Moti Prasad Pahadi | Independent | 22 September 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Ministers of State |||||
| Minister of State for Information and Communications | Rakam Chemjong | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Health | Bharat Kumar Pradhan | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Industry | Tul Bahadur Gurung | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Education | Bhojraj Joshi | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Local Development | Mahesh Chaudhary | CPN (UML) | 30 June 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Construction and Transportation | Mahindra Ray Yadav | CPN (UML) | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Agriculture | Jyotendra Mohan Chaudhary | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Housing and Physical Infrastructure | Khobari Raya Yadav | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 25 March 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Land Reform and Management | Mirza Dilshad Beg | Rastriya Prajatantra Party | 29 August 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Supplies | Palten Gurung | Independent | 22 September 1997 | 6 October 1997 |
| Minister of State for Forests and Land Conservation | Naresh Bahadur Singh | Independent | 22 September 1997 | 6 October 1997 |